Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is already off to a strong start at the box office thanks to a limited theatrical release in Mexico. Directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey follows Pooh and Piglet as they go on a killing spree after Christopher Robin heads off to college and abandons them. The movie is very loosely based on the original children's book written by author A.A. Milne, which entered the public domain last year.
The microbudget slasher film won't hit theaters globally until February 15, but THR reports that Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey has already earned close to $1 million from its theatrical release in Mexico. The movie hit theaters in Mexico on January 26 and has since earned more than $950,000. Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey became something of a viral sensation upon its announcement last year due to its bizarre premise, and the latest box office numbers could be an indication of success to come.
Blood & Honey Could Join Growing Number Of Recent Surprise Horror Hits
More than any other genre, horror continues to prove that a small budget and an inventive premise is more than enough to lure audiences to theaters. Perhaps the best known and most notable example of a microbudget horror movie achieving worldwide success is Paranormal Activity, which would ultimately earn more than $193 million on a budget of only $15,000. While not quite to this same degree, other more recent horror movies have gone on to become big surprise hits.
Due to an inventive viral marketing campaign, Smile, which was made for $17 million, went on to earn over $216 million at the worldwide box office. X and its sequel, Pearl, would collectively earn over $24 million, with each of Ti West's horrors costing only $1 million. Terrifier 2 was undoubtedly the biggest word-of-mouth low-budget horror hit of last year, however, ultimately raking in over $14 million on a budget of only $250,000.
It's unclear how Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey will ultimately perform at the worldwide box office, but the early numbers would suggest that it could end up being a surprise hit. An official budget for the film has not been revealed, but it's possible that its $950,000 haul has already covered production costs. Reviews for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey have yet to be released but, even if they're mostly negative, the bizarre premise and graphic violence alone could be enough to get audiences interested.
Source: THR
